The present invention relates to a liquid batter for coating foodstuffs and a method of making same, and more particularly to such a liquid batter which has been aseptically processed.
Batters to be used for coating foodstuffs, such as chicken, prior to cooking have long been available in either frozen form or dried powder form. However, due to the microbial spoilage during storage, even regrigerated storage (about 35.degree.-45.degree. F.), such batters could not be stored in liquid form. The conventional aseptic processing procedures involving heating (e.g., heat sterilization which would normally prevent such microbial spoilage during storage of the liquid batter) could not be used with the available liquid batter. Such batters contained large quantities of ungelatinized starch, the starch, in its ungelatinized state, being a necessary ingredient of the batter for proper application of the batter to foodstuffs (i.e., coatability), and the heating during such conventional aseptic processing would cause the starch to gelatinize, thereby rendering the batter unacceptable from the point of view of coatability as well as increasing its viscosity to the point where it could not be processed aseptically on a commercial scale.
Ideally, such a liquid batter should have a high solids content so as to minimize batter spattering during cooking of the coated foodstuffs. This is especially important when the coated foodstuff is being fried, as a batter with a low solids level or low viscosity tends to release moisture in the form of spattering when it hits the hot oil. The batter should also have a sufficently low viscosity so that it can be processed aseptically. On the other hand, the batter must have a sufficiently high viscosity to provide suspension of the other ingredients of the batter. Finally, the batter must have good adhesion properties at all times (prior to, during, and after cooking) so that it adheres to the foodstuffs, preferably with at least 70% and optimally at least 85% of the foodstuff initially adherent to the foodstuff prior to cooking remaining on the foodstuff after cooking.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a flowable batter (that is, a batter in liquid form) for use in coating foodstuffs, such as chicken, the batter being storable under either room temperature or refrigerated conditions, without microbial spoilage.
Another object is to provide such a batter which has a sufficiently low viscosity to enable easy aseptic processing during manufacture as well as a sufficiently high viscosity to maintain the ingredients of the batter in suspension.
A further object is to provide such a batter which has a high solids content to reduce batter spattering during cooking of the coated foodstuff, good film-forming characteristics and good adhesion properties.
Still a further object is to provide such a batter which is aseptically processed.
A final object is to provide a method of preparing such a batter.